If you, or someone you know, lives in Australia and is pre-disposed to developing type 1 diabetes you might have a unique opportunity to take part in a trial to test a nasal vaccine.

It is hoped the vaccine, delivering insulin as a nasal spray, will condition the body's immune system to accept that insulin is not a foreign body. In diabetes type 1 the immune system attacks insulin produced by the islet cells in your pancreas. Preventing this from happening could delay or even prevent the onset of diabetes.

A 5-year old identical twin, whose brother already has type 1 diabetes, will be taking part in the trial. Noah's brother, Christian, was diagnosed with diabetes type 1 when he was just 3 years old. Since then Noah has developed the antibodies which are normally a pre-cursor to the disease.

Although developing the antibodies does not mean he will definitely become a diabetic, there is a 50% risk that it will happen. His family is hoping this trial will stop the onset of diabetes and so avoid a lifetime of needles and restricted diet.

The trial researchers are looking for 250 people to take part, but need to screen about 13,000 volunteers in order to find the right participants. If you'd like to be screened to see if you can be part of this historic trial call 1300 138 712

Can you get to Northwest Phoenix in Arizona on November 4th? If you can and you'd like to take part in an in-depth discussion forum on diabetes, then you should.

Anyone who suffers or lives with diabetes knows how important it is to get as much knowledge as possible about this condition - and this is a good opportunity to find out and understand the associated, basic risk factors iby attending these diabetes education sessions.

The event is open to the public for a small entrance fee of $5 on the door.

Take your family so everyone is involved; family understanding and support is crucial to anyone with diabetes, especially in the early days.

October 26, 2006 19:50 - Smoking is Hazardous to Your Health and Especially if You Have Diabetes

Avoid smoking 'like the plague'. A cliche I know, but in this case smoking could be just as detrimental to your health as the plague used to be.

Smoking adds even more coating inside your arteries, as if we haven't got enough problems with constricting arteries because of our diabetes. So why take further risks?

And the thing is, passive smoking is just as bad as active smoking!

Check these few reasons why anyone with diabetes being around smoke is a very bad idea:

Do you really want to limit your mobility? Have painful joints, I can tell youit's no fun. And you do increase the risk of that happening.

Here's a killer! Smoking could make you vulnerable to developing kidney disease.

Like I've already said - smoking clogs up your arteries even more, which can lead in turn to nerve damage (neuropathy). If your blood circulation is poor your nerve endings are not getting the nutrients they need. And then you stand a good chance of getting sores and infections on your feet. The worst scenario would then be amputation. Check these foot care tips

Add to that the increase in your blood pressure When you smoke. And that could lead to heart disease.

Smoking increases the health risk factors that diabetics already face, check them out at More about smoking

Add to this the proven fact that smoking is known to cause cancer, isn't it worth avoiding smoke to give your a better chance of keeping your health for longer?read more...

October 28, 2006 23:59 - Have Diabetes? Can Still Travel.

Although it takes a bit more planning ahead, there is no reason why diabetes should prevent you from traveling. Enjoying yourself is a good way to keep your spirits up, which in turn often means you are better able to control your diabetes.

So plan to enjoy yourself whilst you are away and avoid any stress by considering your diabetic needs when planning your trip...

Check you're OK before you go. That means making sure your HbA1C blood sugar levels are good and your blood pressure and cholesterol levels are acceptable. Get any vaccinations you need for each country you plan to visit if you're going abroad.

Use your hand-luggage to carry your medication and glucose snacks. It's a fact that sometimes luggage gets loaded ont he wrong plane and doesn't end up at your destination. You don't want to lose your diabetes medication so don't pack it in your main luggage.

Most countries are hot on drug smuggling. You don't want to end up on the wrong side of the customs desk, so take your medication in its original box and leave the pharmacy labels on. (Don't forget to check with the airline about their hand-luggage policies and check it's OK to have your tablets/ added syringes and insulin iwith you).

Keep a diabetes medical ID on your person. Get one in the local language for the country you're visiting. Doing this avoids medical misunderstandings because of language difficulties.

Plan ahead and you can enjoy your travels and be safe. The important thing is to keep your diabetes in proper control whilst you are away from home.

Find more travel tips on my website and enjoy your trips, whether for business or pleasure.read more...